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ME Andromeda: Early Impressions Out, Divert All Power To Spoiler Tags

PaperLuigi44PaperLuigi44 My amazement is at maximum capacity.Registered User regular
edited March 2017 in Social Entropy++
https://www.masseffect.com/news/mass-effect-andromeda-coming-in-march

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrWgLMH8yRU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOIzH6UcoW4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyZw_oqk7Q8

https://www.masseffect.com/

There's going to a new Mass Effect game this year! Slated for March 21st in North America and March 23rd in Europe and Australia, Mass Effect: Andromeda will tell the tale of the members of the Andromeda Initiative, people from the Milky Way who have travelled to Andromeda in the hopes of starting a new life. Since Wikipedia lists it as an 'action role-playing third-person shooter' and not 'farming simulator', you can bet that colonisation won't be easy.

You play as one the Ryder twins, and must take on the role of Pathfinder to discover habitable worlds and keep everyone involved safe.
Mr. G wrote:
Details from the Game Informer cover story
RYDER
- Ryder is meant to start inexperienced; even in Mass Effect 1, Shepard was already a decorated soldier
- This is not planned as "The Ryder Trilogy;" maybe the character's story will continue, maybe it won't
- You can customize all 3 members of the Ryder family regardless of who you play as, as asymmetrical as you want them to be

COMBAT
- It is intended that the combat will feel the same in both singleplayer and multiplayer
- Global cooldowns are replaced by individual timers, and all of your powers will have hotkeys instead of a select few; no more pausing to bring up the power wheel and aim
- No more sticky "in cover/out of cover;" if you walk up to a piece of cover, you're in cover, and you just walk away to get out of cover
- A jetpack dash replaces the combat roll on the ground, and it can also be used to get over obstacles and get to higher ground; the jetpack also has a hover option
- The new destructible environments means they intend to have it be way less obvious what parts of the map are combat arenas
- Guns won't be completely new; the Avenger rifle and the Black Widow sniper were cited as returning
- Melee weapons will be available, like swords and hammers

RPG Mechanics
- No more class system, all skills from all classes are available to all characters, and you unlock "class profiles" based on how you spec that give bonuses
- Crafting, y'all; blueprints for weapons and armor can be discovered, and you gather up the resources to build them

STORY
- The new race seen in the trailer are the Kett, who are intended to be just as gray as any other ME race, they are not just the villains
- You are the Pathfinder, and your job is to explore the "golden worlds (those determined as possibly suitable for habitation)" and secure a location for humanity

EXPLORATION
- They do not want to call this an open-world game, and instead say maps are similar to Dragon Age Inquisition
- The new Mako is called the Nomad
- Members of the Need For Speed team worked on the Nomad to ensure it was, uh, good
- There are no weapons on the Nomad, it is purely for traversal
- Expect to find actual sidequests on the optional planets, featuring combat and puzzle encounters
- Expect each planet to have at least one dungeon-esque enemy base on it, which will be lengthy and conclude with boss fights
- Ryder is implanted with a scanner, and scanning objects will give rewards such as money, technology, and Codex entires

LEGACY
- They wanted to bring one aspect of each previous game to the forefront for this new game
- Mass Effect 1: The Mako
- Mass Effect 2: Loyalty missions
- Mass Effect 3: Multiplayer

THE TEMPEST
- The Tempest is your new Normandy, a scout-class ship that is much smaller and faster
- There are no more loading screens when traveling between levels of the ship
- The Galaxy Map will be a more behind-the-back view rather than the top-down of previous games
- You can actually watch the Tempest travel the galaxy
- If you leave the Galaxy Map and go look out a window; you will see exactly where you left the ship
- They intend on having it feel like actual command of a ship; rather than pressing "land" on a menu and then a loading screen takes you to the planet, you set a course to a planet, arrive there, head to the garage to get in the Nomad, or to the landing bay

CHARACTERS
- The Asari seen in multiple trailers is named Peebee, and she came with on the Nexus mothership, but split off on her own; she cares less about the mission than she does about finding cool new shit
- Liam is a human member of the Pathfinder team, an ex-cop and security officer
- Andromeda will have more romance options than any ME game before, and they are all much more in-depth
- Your relationship with the other Ryder will be a critical part of the game, with several central story interactions as well as numerous optional ones
- Not every romantic relationship will lead to the two of you being together forever, and not all of them will even lead to sex
- They specifically call out the "shooting bottles with Garrus on the Citadel" scene as the kind of moment they wanted to have a lot more of

MULTIPLAYER
- Yes, it's still 4-player co-op where you fight enemies in waves
- Unlocks are still gained from card packs, that can be obtained via in-game currency or actual cash money
- Difficulty, map, and enemy type can still be set for each match, as well as new modifiers to make rounds easier or harder; an example given is decreased health for your entire team for the round with a much higher credits payout at the end of it
- Multiplayer is the story of the Apex Force, a Nexus strike team
- Factions faced will be Andromeda specific, don't expect to fight the Geth or Collectors [until they release that inevitable DLC pack]
- Mission funds are the third currency, unlocked by completing Bioware-made specific multiplayer missions; mission funds can be used to buy specific unlocks you want rather than blind card packs
- The catch is the store will have a rotating stock that will not have everything
- Multiplayer progress will affect the single-player, but not the ending of the game; the multiplayer's impact is described as in the middle of ME3's and DA:I's
- Prestige XP is separate from character XP, and is earned in one pool for each character of that type
- Bonuses gained from leveling up via prestige XP apply to all your characters

DIALOGUE & CHOICES
- The Paragon/Renegade system has been removed
- Dialogue choices now have tones associated with them, much like in Dragon Age 2
- Interrupts return, but now without the Paragon/Renegade associations; interrupt prompts will now describe what you will actually do before you do it

- New Game + is returning, and will allow you to switch over to the other Ryder if you'd like
- Post-release content is coming, though they only talk about the multiplayer

The biggest things there, I think, if you don't have time to read all of that

- The game will control the same in singleplayer or multiplayer
- There is no more class system, instead all skills will be openly available, and your class will be a title determined by how you spec
- The multiplayer is the same structure as ME3, with the same unlock system, except now a third currency will let you buy specific items of your choosing (provided they're available in the store, which rotates stock)
- The Paragon/Renegade system has been removed
- Dialogue choices will have tones associated with them, just like Dragon Age 2

And of course, all Bioware discussion is welcome.

And because why not
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcrDWAuyqtc

PaperLuigi44 on
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Posts

  • Grey GhostGrey Ghost Registered User regular
    fuck, they totally did use Ghost Riders in the Sky in that very first video, didn't they

  • Mr. GMr. G Registered User regular
    Has Bioware EVER licensed a song since ME1

    It's so out of place

    6F32U1X.png
  • Grey GhostGrey Ghost Registered User regular
    Mr. G wrote: »
    Has Bioware EVER licensed a song since ME1

    It's so out of place

    They used another Faunts song in the ME3 credits

  • PaperLuigi44PaperLuigi44 My amazement is at maximum capacity. Registered User regular
    I'm really hoping Ghost Riders in the Sky is the end credits song.

  • BlackjackBlackjack Registered User regular
    edited November 2016
    Mr. G wrote: »
    Has Bioware EVER licensed a song since ME1

    It's so out of place

    This is War and I'm Not Calling You a Liar.

    Also Into the Darkness and What a Wonderful World for Inquisition.

    Blackjack on
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  • FencingsaxFencingsax It is difficult to get a man to understand, when his salary depends upon his not understanding GNU Terry PratchettRegistered User regular
    I still love how they came up with protagonist names

  • MorivethMoriveth BREAKDOWN BREAKDOWN BREAKDOWN BREAKDOWNRegistered User regular
    So I'll probably not play through DA1

    but it'll be in the back of my mind that I should

  • HjorvarthrHjorvarthr Registered User regular
    Moriveth wrote: »
    So I'll probably not play through DA1

    but it'll be in the back of my mind that I should

    unless you want a slog of a game for some cool moments

  • Mr. GMr. G Registered User regular
    Moriveth wrote: »
    So I'll probably not play through DA1

    but it'll be in the back of my mind that I should

    nobody should play Dragon Age 1 unless the year is 2009

    6F32U1X.png
  • DoobhDoobh She/Her, Ace Pan/Bisexual 8-) What's up, bootlickers?Registered User regular
    surprised nobody's gone with Ryder's on the Storm

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  • WeedLordVegetaWeedLordVegeta Registered User regular
    y'all know that if there's a masked option i have to pick it, right

    i'm legally obligated to

  • Mr. GMr. G Registered User regular
    Seriously, I think DA1 at this point is best experienced as a Wikipedia page

    It feels out of step with the series when 2 and Inquisition very much tie into each other

    6F32U1X.png
  • PaperLuigi44PaperLuigi44 My amazement is at maximum capacity. Registered User regular
    Also, in ME3 multi I unlocked the Geth Spitfire (in a character pack, grrr) and this thing alternates between sounding cool and dumb. I may be better off with the Typhoon since it's a higher level, but on the other hand, new stuff!

  • MorivethMoriveth BREAKDOWN BREAKDOWN BREAKDOWN BREAKDOWNRegistered User regular
    I think the thing that makes me want to play DA1 is because of the whole saved game being transferred to DA2

    I know that the stuff is almost wholly minor but even then

  • TurambarTurambar Independent Registered User regular
    Dubh wrote: »
    surprised nobody's gone with Ryder's on the Storm

    I mean, the GnT thread title has been Ryders on the Tempest for a long time

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  • FencingsaxFencingsax It is difficult to get a man to understand, when his salary depends upon his not understanding GNU Terry PratchettRegistered User regular
    Moriveth wrote: »
    I think the thing that makes me want to play DA1 is because of the whole saved game being transferred to DA2

    I know that the stuff is almost wholly minor but even then

    The Keep can do that itself.

  • DragkoniasDragkonias That Guy Who Does Stuff You Know, There. Registered User regular
    Like unless you're one of those people who just really has a fondness for old school cRPG gameplay and mechanics for whatever godforsaken reason...just naw.

    Like DA1 has some legitmate character and lore moments but not enough to justify the rest.

    It was also before 2H swordsmen could attack in an AoE...those were the dark ages.

  • Mr. GMr. G Registered User regular
    Dragon Age 1 has probably aged worse than Mass Effect 1

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  • -Tal-Tal Registered User regular
    edited November 2016
    I don't think sera is interested in destroying the noble class either, she just wants to annoy them

    she does not have a high opinion of the jennies who split off to do more political activities, and resists solas' attempts to try to guide her into becoming a revolutionary

    overall sera actually seems pretty socially conservative, she has dan ryckert like thoughts that things should be a certain way and doing it another way is just weird and wrong. she's a spirit-fearing andrastian what denounces elfiness

    -Tal on
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  • DJ EebsDJ Eebs Moderator, Administrator admin
    Mr. G wrote: »
    Dragon Age 1 has probably aged worse than Mass Effect 1

    it absolutely has

    and it's not just gameplay, there's just too much wandering around areas that don't need to be even half as large as they are, like...there's a fair point to be made that inquisition has a lot of empty space, but they made traversal a lot easier, and it also looks way better. I mean, the deep roads is always everyone's big complaint, but frankly, just about every area is kind of a pain to navigate

    (also the characters are mostly boring)

    I don't regret playing it when it was fresh, but it's way too long and tedious for me to ever think about jumping in again

  • DragkoniasDragkonias That Guy Who Does Stuff You Know, There. Registered User regular
    Yeah. Like I know some old school RPG fans hate it but I do not miss the days before fast travel at all.

  • Mr. GMr. G Registered User regular
    I don't think I could even name you the entire party in DA1

    Alistair was alright

    Morrigan was...there

    Sten was great, I enjoyed Sten

    The elf assassin was named...Zevran, I think, he was good

    Was there an older lady mage there too?

    and that's all I've got

    fake edit also the golem that was DLC...Shale

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  • KwoaruKwoaru Confident Smirk Flawless Golden PecsRegistered User regular
    Morrigan was the worst because she lied in the trailer about shape-shifting being badass instead of bad and only useful for leaving the dwarf city slightly faster

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  • DoobhDoobh She/Her, Ace Pan/Bisexual 8-) What's up, bootlickers?Registered User regular
    Turambar wrote: »
    Dubh wrote: »
    surprised nobody's gone with Ryder's on the Storm

    I mean, the GnT thread title has been Ryders on the Tempest for a long time

    I pretty much never go to GnT these days

    but this makes me happy

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  • DragkoniasDragkonias That Guy Who Does Stuff You Know, There. Registered User regular
    Kwoaru wrote: »
    Morrigan was the worst because she lied in the trailer about shape-shifting being badass instead of bad and only useful for leaving the dwarf city slightly faster

    Man, I remember when I wasted points on shape-shifting.

    That was before I discovered cone of cold was like the best.

    Then I learned about spell of the century...

    And walking bomb...

    And that 3 mages and 1 tank was like the best team cause man did so many of the other classes pale in comparison.

  • DJ EebsDJ Eebs Moderator, Administrator admin
    let's see if I can name the cast of origins:

    allistair: he's fine. I guess
    morrigan: fine. way better when she showed up in inquisition
    oghren: I don't remember anything about oghren. he liked beer. I remembered one thing
    the dog: the dog was the best
    zevran: zevran sucks why in the world would I recruit a shitty assassin into my group except to be a completionist oh look he betrayed me. fuck zevran
    sten: similar to zevran. why would I ask this guy to hang out with me. guy fucking sucks.
    wynne: wynne is good. she healed my shit and had an interesting story. but she was an old lady so nobody ever talks about her?
    leliana: she's alright. again, way better every time she shows up after origins than she was in origins. I call this the "wrex effect."
    loghain: get the fuck out of here, what kind of monster do you think I am
    shale: I mean she's a better DLC character than sebastian?

    maybe there was one more. I don't remember.

  • BlackjackBlackjack Registered User regular
    Kwoaru wrote: »
    Morrigan was the worst because she lied in the trailer about shape-shifting being badass instead of bad and only useful for leaving the dwarf city slightly faster

    It's telling that she actually won't teach it to you if her approval is high enough.

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  • WybornWyborn GET EQUIPPED Registered User regular
    Moriveth wrote: »
    So I'll probably not play through DA1

    but it'll be in the back of my mind that I should

    I'll be the dissenting voice here and say that Origins is fine in the context of now, and absolutely worth playing. It's a good game that has a very different tone from its sequels, and in some ways is more narratively ambitious in a way you might appreciate.

    But absolutely, definitely, 100% finish DA2 first.

    dN0T6ur.png
  • -Tal-Tal Registered User regular
    bonus round name me every party member in dragon age origins awakening

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  • DoobhDoobh She/Her, Ace Pan/Bisexual 8-) What's up, bootlickers?Registered User regular
    I keep almost playing DAI again

    but then I remember I'm saving it for when I stream

    Miss me? Find me on:

    Twitch (I stream most days of the week)
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  • BlackjackBlackjack Registered User regular
    -Tal wrote: »
    bonus round name me every party member in dragon age origins awakening

    Anders Nathaniel Sigrun Justice no one cares about the rest

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  • WybornWyborn GET EQUIPPED Registered User regular
    y'all know that if there's a masked option i have to pick it, right

    i'm legally obligated to

    Is this a Kamen Rider thing

    Also what game do you mean, what's this about masks

    dN0T6ur.png
  • DragkoniasDragkonias That Guy Who Does Stuff You Know, There. Registered User regular
    let's see if I can name the cast of origins:

    allistair: he's fine. I guess
    morrigan: fine. way better when she showed up in inquisition
    oghren: I don't remember anything about oghren. he liked beer. I remembered one thing
    the dog: the dog was the best
    zevran: zevran sucks why in the world would I recruit a shitty assassin into my group except to be a completionist oh look he betrayed me. fuck zevran
    sten: similar to zevran. why would I ask this guy to hang out with me. guy fucking sucks.
    wynne: wynne is good. she healed my shit and had an interesting story. but she was an old lady so nobody ever talks about her?
    leliana: she's alright. again, way better every time she shows up after origins than she was in origins. I call this the "wrex effect."
    loghain: get the fuck out of here, what kind of monster do you think I am
    shale: I mean she's a better DLC character than sebastian?

    maybe there was one more. I don't remember.

    Oghren whole scthick was being drunk and a dwarf.

  • BlackjackBlackjack Registered User regular
    Also Alistair, Zevran, and Wynne were the only good ones in Origins.

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  • DragkoniasDragkonias That Guy Who Does Stuff You Know, There. Registered User regular
    Man, now I need Spoit here to tell me how I'm wrong and DA1 is the bees knees and the best one.

  • WybornWyborn GET EQUIPPED Registered User regular
    Origins had a good cast that I appreciated in a lot of ways. Alistair is still one of the high watermarks of the series. And so cute. And noble.

    And...

    God damn you, Alistair.

    God damn you.

    dN0T6ur.png
  • LalaboxLalabox Registered User regular
    edited November 2016
    Oghren's thing was being a stereotypical dwarf. Except in this world the dwarves don't get drunk all that much so no one likes him

    Lalabox on
  • BlackjackBlackjack Registered User regular
    Dragkonias wrote: »
    Man, now I need Spoit here to tell me how I'm wrong and DA1 is the bees knees and the best one.

    It's a pale imitation, but "at least it had a working tactics menu!"
    ilu Spoit

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  • -Tal-Tal Registered User regular
    Blackjack wrote: »
    -Tal wrote: »
    bonus round name me every party member in dragon age origins awakening

    Anders Nathaniel Sigrun Justice no one cares about the rest

    there was also... an elf mage, right. I think grey delisle. she was mean.

    and, oghren was there, with his extremely compelling personality of "drunk"

    PNk1Ml4.png
  • DJ EebsDJ Eebs Moderator, Administrator admin
    there's literally no reason to bring zevran aboard. his audition is "i'm gonna kill you" and he fucks it up. if you want to be on my team, you'd better actually fucking kill me. NEXT.

This discussion has been closed.